The Director
by Kasamari
Summary: The relationship that led to the creation of Project Freelancer, Alpha, and the rest of the insanity of Red vs Blue.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo/Red vs Blue or any of their characters

Seventeen

Morning was the worst part of the day. He hated getting up early just to go to a place he didn't even want to be with people he couldn't stand to be around. The wait at the bus stop was the part he hated most though. There were so many students that lived in his area that he had no choice but to get crammed into a seat with two other people. If it weren't for one little detail, he would have found another means of transportation a long time ago.

"Morning, Tex."

"Church," she replied.

Allison was the single hottest girl that Leonard Church had ever seen. She was also the bitchiest being in all of existence, but for some reason that only made her hotter. Long red hair, sharp green eyes, and curves Church wouldn't mind getting better acquainted with.

"Why does she let him get away with calling her that?" Church heard someone asking. "When I found out she was from Texas I tried calling her that and she punched me in the nose."

"She can't punch him," another answered. "That's the guy with the bone thing."

"Osteogenesis Imperfecta, moron," Church mumbled.

While it was true that Church had brittle bone disease, it was not entirely the reason why he got away with calling Allison Tex. Besides, it was not as though he could be killed by being punched in the face. His bones were just more fragile than the average person's. Tex might break a few ribs, but she wouldn't kill him.

Church had known her since they started high school two years ago. She was the only one who treated him the same way that she treated everyone else. Most people had a tendency to avoid him, and not just because of his offensive personality. They would all eventually see him as a burden since he could not do what the majority of guys his age did. Some other people treated him as though he were made of glass and needed to be coddled and protected. He hated that more than being avoided. Tex was different though.

It was refreshing to not be "special" in any way. He had never told her that outright, but Church was grateful for Tex being Tex. He knew she knew that. He didn't want her to be any different because her very nature was what he liked about her. Unlike the girls in school who were either jealous of her looks, scared of her violent attitude, or both; and unlike the guys who only seemed interested because of her casual approach to physical relationships.

As the bus pulled up Church joined the flock of students lining up. He climbed aboard without speaking to any of them and sat himself in the first empty seat he could find. Not too surprisingly Tex sat with him. Unfortunately it wasn't long after that some guy sat next to her and Church was pressed against the wall of the bus.

"So what kinda night should I plan for prom?" the guy asked. "You're place good, or should I book a room?"

Church smirked at the window and didn't bother turning around to watch. He knew what was coming. It was true Tex liked confidence, but this was a broken nose waiting to happen. No sooner than the thought crossed his mind, Church heard the sound of fist against flesh. He glanced over and saw the guy holding his eye and making his way to another seat.

"Black eye?" Church asked.

"I would've gone for the nose, but there's an idiot blocking my way over here." Her elbow jabbed into his side.

"I thought you wanted to go to the dance," Church said, ignoring the comment and jab. "You've turned down every guy that's asked and it's tonight."

"I'm not gonna go with someone just because they ask, Church. My social status isn't as sad and pathetic as yours. Besides, who says I can't go alone?"

"And that doesn't come across as sad and pathetic social status to you?"

"Not when you keep getting asked. How many girls are jumping at the bit to go with you?"

That was a cheap shot. Tex knew that no one had asked Church and that Church had no intentions of asking anybody. Dances just weren't his thing. Too many people jumping around like idiots and too many local idiots who would love to see him hurt by "accident."

"You really gonna go alone?" Church asked when the bus pulled into the school.

"Don't see why not. Plenty of people to dance with if I do and no date to get pissed off over it. Or maybe I just won't go at all."

Now that didn't sound like Tex. She didn't just suddenly change her mind about anything. At least not unless it had something to do with money. Something was wrong with this picture.

Classes went about the way they usually did with the exception of people acting even more stupid over the dance. Church barely paid attention to any of it. He was more focused on the idea that had been running through his head since morning. It was so unlike him, but for some reason he really wanted to do it. It would set him back, but it would be worth it if it worked out. He started making preparations as soon as the final bell of the day began to ring.

More than half of his savings went into this venture. She had damn well better appreciate what he was doing. His black hair was combed and under control along with the scruff of a goatee that he refused to shave. He was even wearing one of those stupid tuxedos. The worst part of that was how much it made the blue sclera of his eyes stand out. It made him feel self conscious of his appearance for the first time in a long time.

The first he saw of her was her face in the window. He couldn't tell if she recognized him at first or not. He walked up the driveway of the foster house she lived in and knocked on the door. A stern looking middle aged woman answered.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I'm here for Tex," Church answered.

"Who?"

"What're you doing here, Church? And what's with the secret agent look?"

"I'm taking you to the dance," he replied.

"I thought I told you that you weren't going," the disgruntled woman growled at Tex.

"My ass she's not going!" Church yelled. "I spent too much money on that damn rental car and this suit! She's goddamn going!"

While Church stood there and argued with the head of the foster house, Tex must have taken the opportunity to get changed. In just a few short minutes she came running back into the room wearing a long black dress open on one side all the way up to her hip. Her long hair was free and loose about halfway down her back and it smacked Church in the face as she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back down the walkway to the car.

"Get back here, Allison!"

"You didn't really think you could stop me, did you?" she laughed.

Tex jumped into the car as Church started it up and floored the pedal. There was something different about her then. Nothing so cliché as "he was seeing her in a new light", but something genuinely different. The fact that Tex lived in a foster house was not exactly common knowledge. Other than the school staff, Church was pretty sure that he was the only one she ever told. He'd never been there before, but she had told him how to find it once. Maybe it was the fact that someone had actually come looking for her that was making her smile like that.

"Keep your eyes on the road there, genius," she ordered. "And you are not going to be staring at me like that all night or I'm going break both your legs."

"You are such a bitch," he smiled.

"Asshole."

The looks on people's faces when he stepped into the dance hall with Tex on his arm were priceless. Hell, even he was surprised she had gone with the idea. Maybe it wasn't so much the fact that she was with him, but the way she was that night. She smiled a lot more, seemed more at ease and relaxed. Of course even though he had brought her, Church didn't expect Tex to spend her entire night with him. He mostly helped himself to the buffet and watched from a table as she danced and laughed and acted like a regular girl for once.

As the night began to wind down, the crowd started thinning out. Church sat at their table with three empty buffet plates and a very self satisfied smile on his face. A quiet, slow song began to play and he felt himself starting to nod of.

"Hey," Tex's voice said softly. "Come and dance with me."

Yeah, he had totally fallen asleep. Tex would never extend that kind of invitation. Not only would she never ask him to dance because he would never actually dance, but she'd never do anything that would make this look so much like a date. He was just her driver tonight. Dream or not, he may as well enjoy it though, right? Any minute she was going to be coming along to wake him up for that ride back to the foster house. Church rose from his chair, let out a yawn, and opened his eyes. There she was with that strange new smile on her face reaching out for his hand. It wasn't a dream, was it?

"Serious?" he asked.

"I could always go give the last dance to someone else," she frowned as she began to cross her arms. Before she could though, Church took her hand quickly and smiled.

"I'd love to," he said. "But you're gonna have to let me lead."

"Oh, this is gonna be good."

And it was. Even though she was being sarcastic about it, it was nice. They moved slowly, mostly rocking back and forth as he guided her in a small circle close to the table, but that was all he needed. Usually if he had seen Tex wearing something so low cut that showed off so much of her figure, this would be about the time Church would be getting hit for ogling her. Tonight really was different though. As the song played on he found himself locked in her eyes. She smiled serenely at him like for once there was nothing in the world that was pissing her off and she laid her head on his shoulder.

Everything was going so perfectly that somewhere in the back of his mind Church knew that something was about to go horribly wrong. Leave it to the back of his mind to be right. Church barely felt the guys hands before whoever it was had pulled his pants down around his ankles. Right in the middle of dancing with Tex. Getting embarrassed would be a normal reaction for most people. Church wasn't most people.

His first reaction was to be royally pissed off. Unfortunately it's hard to express unprecedented rage with your pants around your ankles and someone pushing you on top of the hottest girl in school. Tex reacted quickly enough to save Church a potentially nasty fall from getting pushed from behind, and sat him down in a chair so he could get his pants back around his waist. He looked around for her after that, but she had already disappeared. After the anger subsided the mortification began to set in. That probably just ruined the night that he tried to make for Tex.

"You okay?" she asked, reappearing from where ever she went.

"Totally fine," he answered. "Nothing like showing off my underwear and a bit of my ass to a bunch of jackasses to make a night complete, huh?"

"On the bright side you look kinda cute in boxers."

"Ha ha. Where'd you run off to?"

"I introduced your friend's face to the DJ stand. They didn't hit it off too well. Got into a fight. The DJ stand won."

"Guess that kinda ruined the night, didn't it?"

"Are you kidding?" Tex asked. "What kind of night is complete without me getting to bash a skull in? This was a blast."

"You know, it's really hard to tell when you're being sarcastic sometimes."

"Church, why don't you stop worrying about it and just ask me to go get a picture with you before we leave?"

"Sounds like a plan," he said.

"What does?"

"What you just said."

"What did I say."

"That I should ask you to get a picture taken with me."

"Did you ask me if I wanted to get a picture taken? I just beat the crap out of someone, what if I don't feel like having my picture taken?"

"Do you want to get a picture before we leave, Tex?" Church sighed.

"Sure," she smiled. "Why not?"

"You really are an annoying bitch sometimes, you know that?"

They were told that the pictures would be sent out in just over a week. Tex didn't want the house mother to try and keep them from her, so she said that they should be sent to Church's place instead. She also said that Church would be more than happy to pay. Not surprising.

It was well after midnight when Church walked Tex up to the front door of her foster house. They just stood there for a minute, neither one really knowing what to say at this point. Finally, it was Tex that broke the silence.

"This is really weird for me," she said.

"You know, most girls just say thanks before either kissing the guy goodnight or inviting them inside."

"Shut up and listen to me for a minute, I'm being serious," she ordered. "You know I grew up in the system. It's weird for me to have anything . . . I don't know, stable I guess. I'm not used to having someone whose there for me. That's what you were for me tonight. That's what you are for me pretty much every day. I've been in more houses and homes than anybody I know, but ever since high school started I finally have something that doesn't change. Thanks for that."

"Wow," Church replied. "Never thought I'd ever hear you open up like that. You're welcome, Tex."

Then she did something he wasn't expecting. Tex must have felt that what he had done was pretty special, otherwise she probably wouldn't have leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before going inside and leaving him alone out there in the dark. She didn't even turn on the porch light for him. Honestly he felt a little bit cheated there, but it was still pretty rewarding. It wasn't the most romantic moment that had ever come to pass, but it was definitely a moment. One that Church didn't think he'd ever forget.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo/Red vs Blue or any of their characters

Home

Tex stepped lightly across the floor trying not to wake Church who was asleep on the couch. She stopped next to the side table just long enough to mouth goodnight and grab the two twenties he had in his wallet. After that she slipped out the door into the darkness of the night and down the walkway to the car that was waiting for her.

"Hey, Allison," the guy driving said. The two other guys grinned and greeted her too. "Ready?"

"Anytime," she answered.

The club was already packed by the time Tex arrived. The bartenders were swamped with orders to fill and most of the dancers were already getting bills slipped into their clothes. This was around the time she got her usual greeting from the club owner himself.

"Allison, baby! You ready to dance for me tonight?"

"I'm not here to dance for anyone, Paul," Tex replied. "I'm here for me."

"One of these nights I'm gonna convince you to get up there," Paul smiled. "Good money in it. Just ask the girls."

"There'd be too many broken bones and not enough singles to cover the bills," Tex told him as she began making her way to the bar.

"Speaking of broken bones, we got a couple of yahoos at the bar that keep grabbin' at the waitresses. Gave 'em a warning and they punched out one of my bouncers. Think you could do your thing for me again?"

"I'm seriously gonna start charging you for this, Paul."

"You already get the first five free," Paul frowned.

"But not top shelf."

"Hey, that stuff's expensive!" Paul argued. "No one gets that for free."

Tex loved fighting. Paul had a problem with aggressive customers. This unofficial job that she had of keeping his sleazy place relatively safe for the workers and patrons was the perfect fit for her. She got to drink without having to spend too much money when she came and she got to beat up people who deserved it. Perfect way to unwind after any kind of day. Paul pointed out the aggressors (like the two at the bar she was now standing behind) and Tex took care of them.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but I think we have a problem," she said as she tapped one of the two men at the bar.

"And what might that be, sweet thing?" he asked as he made a reach for her leg.

"You."

Tex punched the man in the face so hard that he fell limp off of his barstool. When his buddy tried to punch her back, Tex put her left arm over his extended one and grabbed his wrist with her right hand. In one fluid motion she bent his arm back over her own and farther over his head causing him to lean back as she placed her left leg behind his buckling right knee. The resulting throw carried him just high enough to go over the bar and just far enough not to hit the glass bottles stashed behind it.

"Get them outta here," Tex ordered the bouncers as they arived. "And tell Paul he owes me."

"Thanks for the help, Ali," a female bartender said as she poured what she knew was Tex's favorite drink.

"No problem, Kris."

"So how are things with the boyfriend?"

"I've told you before he's not my boyfriend. We've never even dated."

"You crash at his place again last night?"

"Yeah," Tex answered. "What of it?"

"That's three times this week."

"So?"

"You sleeping together?"

"No" Tex laughed. "He tries to act tough and say he's going to make me sleep on his couch. I always sleep in the bed."

"So you spend about half your week at this guy's place and sleep in his bed, but you don't have sex?"

"Pretty much."

"Sounds more like you're married than dating," Kris laughed. "He ever have any other girls over?"

"I'm almost positive I'm the only girl he even knows."

"So you have this guy all to yourself? Why aren't you sleeping with him again? Is he ugly? I mean he'd have to be the ugliest mother ever if he's doing all this for you and you still don't want to jump him."

"He's not ugly," Tex growled. She didn't know why she was so upset at the comment, but she was.

"Oh, you got it bad," Kris grinned.

"No, I don't," Tex said defensively. "Church is an asshole. He talks like he's big and bad, but he's all attitude. You know what he actually said to me before I went to bed? He told me if I didn't do something about all my shit at his place, then he was going to. He practically threatened to throw out all my stuff. We're not dating!"

"Okay okay!" Kris laughed. "I just hope he knows that.

Kris didn't know what she was taking about. She and Church were not dating. She knew it, he knew it. Why in the world would she date him when there we so many other options? This was all Tex thought about until she left the club to head back to Church's place.

Tex had only been gone a few hours that night so she was surprised when she saw the light on in Church's apartment. What was he doing up so late when he had just gotten to bed before she left? He had already said he was ahead of schedule at work that week so it couldn't have been that. Unless he was doing what he had threatened he was going to do! Tex dashed up the stairs an rammed through the doorway. None of her clothes were scattered on the floor and her other odds and ends were missing from the living room as well.

"Church!" she screamed. "What the fuck?"

"Hi to you too," Church said as he came out of the bathroom. "To what do I owe the bitchiness?"  
"You threw my stuff out!"

"I told you to do something about it," he replied on his way to the bedroom. "You didn't so I did. Now would you keep it down? We have neighbors."

"Where is it, Church?" she followed after him. When she got into the bedroom she had trouble processing what she was seeing.

Here was an extra dresser on the wall adjacent from the bed. Up against the wall by the window was a new collapsible closet that she could see some of her clothes hanging in. Next to the bed itself was a small night stand that had not been there before either. There was a small lamp sitting on it and the book she had started reading earlier that week. Then Church's earlier comment "we have neighbors" suddenly took new meaning.

"You moved me in?" Tex asked.

"No," Church answered. "You moved you in. I just got a place to put all your shit that was piling up. Welcome home, Tex."

Tex just stood there a moment and took it all in. She had always had stuff before. She even had a small place of her own across town. It was a shit hole with a monthly lease, but it was a place she had gotten for herself. This was different though, and not just because it was clean and had working utilities. The way Church said was he said. The way it made her feel. Hom. She'd never felt like she was ever home before. Now she was pretty sure she felt like she was for the first time in her life.

"Tex?" Church said. He waved a hand in front of her face. "You okay in there? Hello?"

She never gave him any warning. She did not even realize she was going to do it herself. Her lips were on his before she could even think about it. She kissed him once and did not want to stop. She felt the two of them slip softly onto the bed, Church maneuvering himself above her. She broke away from him just long enough to get him out of his shirt, and things only grew more passionate from there.

Tex was no stranger to sex. She had fucked enough to know that men in general liked to dominate, get a good grip and just ram it in hard and fast. It was a completely different experience with Church. She didn't know if it was because of his disease or if it was just the way he was, but he held her differently. He didn't just grab hold, he embraced her. His touch was gentle and caressing to the point that she felt more sensitive to his every movement. When their bare flesh touched it sent shock waves of sensations through her skin that aroused her in a way she had never experienced. Their bodies moved together in rhythm as though they were one. It was so overwhelming and as her ecstasy peaked she could not hold it in.

As Tex lay there in the dark, sweating and spent, for the first time afterwards she was held. Her body laying gently upon Church's, she watched his face while he slept. He looked so at peace while he was asleep. A nice break from his usual asshole self. Not that it wasn't mostly fun. She felt so content and comfortable with him. She was completely relaxed. Happy even. She felt at home, safe, like she belonged.

It terrified her.

Tex stole out of bed before the sun had even begun to rise. Silently, she slipped open her dresser and grabbed some clothes. Her dresser. It felt even more odd that she thought of these things and this place as hers. That she thought of Church as hers. She had to get out of there.

Before she got out the door she remembered she had already spent Church's money at the club that night. She didn't have enough left to cover the cab fair to cross town to her place. Knowing he kept an extra stash of cash behind his televisions, Tex reached around the entertainment center and grabbed what she found. After getting down the stairs of the apartment complex and out to a street light she unfolded the wad of cash to figure out what she had. Folded within the money was a small copper key with a note on the keyring.

_Left this where I knew you'd find it. Stop using the window when I'm not home. -Church_


End file.
